Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G APS-C Lens (2019)

MSRP 1400 USD62% Neofiliac79% External
Keywords: aps-cautofocuse-mountexternal-zoomlensmirrorlesssonyzoom-lens

Product Gallery

Photo 0of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G APS-C Lens (2019)Photo 1of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G APS-C Lens (2019)Photo 2of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G APS-C Lens (2019)Photo 3of Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G APS-C Lens (2019)

Product Overview

Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G is a standard zoom lens for Sony E-mount. It covers the APS-C image circle. Introduced by Sony in 2019, it has 17 elements in 12 groups.
Like most zoom lenses, the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G is externally-zooming. For incremental weathers, Sony is kind enough to include weather sealing.
A standard zoom lens with relatively bright maximum aperture, the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G can be a key piece in a photographer's arsenal, though some may prefer prime lenses in this focal range.

Ratings

What we found**

Neofiliac score 62% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
  • Weather-sealed
  • Solid build quality
  • Very sharp
Cons
  • External zoom without zoom lock
  • Quite expensive for what it is
  • Not stabilized

What external reviewers found***

External score 79% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
  • Excellent color rendition
  • Excellent build quality
  • Excellent sharpness from centre to corners
  • Excellent autofocus performance
  • Compact and light
  • High-end general-purpose zoom
Cons
  • No in-body stabilization
  • No optical stabilisation
  • Some chromatic aberrations (low level)
  • No internal zooming so balance will change if you zoom on a Gimbal
  • No manual focus
Read More

Price Comparison

Specifications

Construction

Aperture Blades
9 blades
Form Factor
Standard Zoom Lens
Image Size
APS-C
Lens Mount
Sony E-mount
Motor
Linear Motor
Optical Formula | Elements
17 elements
Optical Formula | Groups
12 groups
Optical Formula | Special Glass
Two AA (advanced aspherical) elements, two aspherical elements, three ED (extra-low dipsersion) elements. Fluorine coated front element. groups

Dimensions

Filter Diameter
67 mm / 2.64 in
Size | Diameter
73 mm / 2.87 in
Size | Length
100 mm / 3.94 in
Weight
494 g / 17.46 oz

Function

Angle Of View
84.1° Diagonal | 73.7° Horizontal | 53.1° Vertical (wide) ~ 29.4° Diagonal | 24.6° Horizontal | 16.6° Vertical (tele)
Aperture
f/2.8 ~ f/22
Autofocus
Yes
Crop Factor
1.5
Focal Length
16 mm ~ 55 mm
Focal Length (35mm Equivalent)
24.0 mm ~ 82.5 mm
Focus Type
Extending front
Image Stabilization
No
Weather Resistance
Yes
Zoom Type
External zoom

Performance

Max Magnification
0.2x
Min Focus Distance
330 mm / 12.99 in

Production

Accessory
Lens Hood: ALC-SH161 (supplied)
Debut
2019-08-28
Model Name
SEL1655G

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Launch Comparison
Clear List

3rd-Party Review Videos

External Reviews

sonyalpha[1]

Reviewer score 81%
Reviewers from sonyalpha have found the following***:
The new Sony 16-55 F2.8 G (1300 euros) is the pro zoom for APSC we were expecting for years. Results are superb and on on par with best E mount prime lenses. The zoom ring can be manipulated smoothly and you can zoom all the way with one hand. This could be your high quality lens for weddings, travel, portraits, studio shooting.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent sharpness from centre to corners
  • Very nice and soft Background blur
  • Excellent color rendition
Cons
  • Some chromatic aberrations (low level)
  • No internal zooming so balance will change if you zoom on a Gimbal

cameralabs[2]

Reviewer score 75%
Reviewers from cameralabs have found the following***:
The Sony E 16-55mm f2.8 G is a high-end general-purpose zoom for E-mount mirrorless cameras with APSC sensors. The lens itself is a fairly compact and lightweight design that feels surprisingly well-balanced on the small A6000 bodies. Sadly there’s no optical stabilisation so to iron out any wobbles you’ll either need to mount it on a body with IBIS like the A6500 or A6600, or use it with a gimbal.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • High-end general-purpose zoom
  • Compact and light
Cons
  • No optical stabilisation

pcmag[3]

Reviewer score 83%
Reviewers from pcmag have found the following***:
Sony has included a linear focus motor in the 16-55mm, technology it developed for its ultra-premium FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS. The result is quick, accurate, and very quiet autofocus. The lens focuses as close as 13 inches (33cm), which gives it 1:5 life-size reproduction.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Excellent build quality
  • Excellent autofocus performance
  • Dust and splash protection
Cons
  • No in-body stabilization
  • No manual focus

User Reviews

Comments

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References

  1. ^ Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G. [sonyalpha]. https://sonyalpha.blog/2019/10/21/sony-e-16-55mm-f2-8-g/. 2019-10-21. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  2. ^ Sony E 16-55mm f2.8 G review. [cameralabs]. https://www.cameralabs.com/sony-e-16-55mm-f2-8-g-review/. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  3. ^ Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sony-e-16-55mm-f28-g. 2019-11-21. Retrieved 2022-01-26.

The MSRP provided on this page may not apply to all regions equally. For the current price, please refer to the Price Comparison section.

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Scores are not directly comparable across industries.

These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.

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